


Initiative

by Jesstrel



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Awkwardness, Comfort, F/F, Feels, First Dance, First Date, Guilt, I just love these awkward lesbians, In Media Res, Nicodranas (Critical Role), The Date, WIP, all the feels, awkward lesbians, first fic ever, reassurance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:40:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29336940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jesstrel/pseuds/Jesstrel
Summary: The long-awaited Beauyasha first date. (At least part of it)
Relationships: Beauregard Lionett/Yasha
Comments: 3
Kudos: 58





	Initiative

**Author's Note:**

> This leapt into my head fully formed at 5:30 this morning. I've never written fanfic for anything before, let alone published it but this one insisted. :)
> 
> This is Post Ep124 (but written before any other episodes aired, so I have no idea how the date actually went.), in Nicodranas. 
> 
> I might come back and flesh this out some more later but I'm happy with it for now. 
> 
> Enjoy! 
> 
> (Be gentle!)
> 
> *  
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> *

As their laughter quieted, they fell into an awkward silence. Beau seemed to be looking for another story in the bottom of her stein, staring into it as she rolled it back and forth in her wrapped hands. Yasha took a sip of her own ale before placing her mug gently down, trying to find a place for her eyes to settle.

It was growing late and the small bar was nearly empty. Finishing its rendition of a Port Damali shanty, the band took a brief pause before beginning a Marquettian lullaby, the kind of song that would encourage the more rowdy patrons to seek out entertainment elsewhere. Slowly the noisier crowds settled up and shuffled out into the streets of Nicodranas, as the band moved into a gentle ballad, though without a singer the melody left the meaning up to the imagination.

"Right," Yasha whispered before draining the last half of her mug and thumping it back down on the table. Beau's face shot up, worry furrowing her brow, as Yasha stood and extended a hand to the monk.

"Would you, um, like to dance?"

"... Heh, yeah, ok," Beau said with a small smile, forehead smoothing. She took one last sip and took Yasha's hand.

They found a small spot between a few tables and, after some brief, silent awkwardness over who would lead, settled into position. Yasha had her left hand cupped tentatively around Beau's hip and held the monk's left hand in her right while Beau's right hand eventually landed on Yasha's left bicep. They began to sway with the music, somewhat stiffly from one foot to the other, like a pair of awkward teenagers. Slowly they relaxed into the melody and found each others rhythm, though neither knew where to look.

Yasha knew by now that Beau was leaving first steps up to her, so she took one. The barbarian bought their clasped hands in and settled them on her own sternum while she slid her left hand onto the small of Beau's back and gently pulled her in, pressing their held hands between them. As the world faded into the background, Yasha's calloused hand slid across the smaller woman's bare back, delighting in the play of muscles beneath Beau's smooth, tan skin, but stopped abruptly when her fingers found scar tissue. Yasha stiffened, remembering how that particular wound was made.

Beau kept swaying without her but murmured, "It's ok."

Yasha, frozen, bent her head down but couldn't meet Beau's eyes, her own forehead wrinkled in guilt and shame.

Beau stopped swaying. "Hey. Look at me."

Yasha timidly lifted her face, meeting Beau's keen grey eyes with her own teal and purple ones.

"It's ok. _We're_ ok," Beau whispered gently but earnestly.

She held the taller woman's gaze for a moment, smiling softly, before nodding slightly and removing her hand from Yasha's bicep. The barbarian held her breath, but Beau wrapped her arm around Yasha's waist and, closing her eyes, laid her cheek on the pale woman's chest.

Yasha exhaled in a shuddering sigh of relief, dropping her head to bury her face in Beau's hair. She pulled the smaller woman in close and found the music again, rocking them both in time to the tender, yearning song.

Again the world dropped away as Yasha inhaled the scent of Beau's scalp. Sandalwood, sweat and just a hint of gunpowder; it was rapidly becoming her favourite. A broad smile spread across the barbarian's face as she chuckled delightedly to herself. In response she felt Beau smile against her chest and squeeze in even closer. They swayed in gentle circles until the song ended and the silence brought them to a stop. They stood in their tight embrace for another long moment before Yasha pulled back slightly, just enough to look the monk in the face and whisper shyly,

"Hey, um, Beau... Can I, um.. Can I kiss you?"

A delighted smirk spread across Beau's face.

"I thought you'd never ask."


End file.
